Political leaders, academics, civil society representatives, activists, lawyers and youth organisations gathered at a dialogue to discuss barriers to the participation of young people and women in Bangladeshi politics and explore ways to build a more inclusive democracy.

“Inclusion is impossible without recognition of rights, identity, and mutual respect,” they said at the roundtable dialogue on Tuesday titled “Shaping Inclusive Leadership: Women and Youth in Politics”  

The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, hosted the dialogue at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) Auditorium.

Zillur Rahman, President of the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), presided over the session.

Zillur Rahman said that genuine inclusion requires not only participation but also effective authority in decision-making and resource allocation. Women are often placed at the forefront when needed, but they are not given adequate space when it comes to power.

State Minister for the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur said that although women and young people played an important role in the July movement, their proper recognition and inclusion were not ensured afterward.

He remarked that the interim government empowered a few young people while excluding the larger section.

Expressing support for the rights and movements of ordinary people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, he described the activities of armed groups as a threat to national security.

He also said that the government is working to expand overseas employment beyond the Middle East, create opportunities for educated youth, and extend loan support for employment in Japan and other countries.

He further stressed the need to reform cyber laws and take effective action against derogatory remarks about women and extremist political behavior.

Nazmul Haque Prodhan, General Secretary of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal- Bangladesh (JaSad), said that instead of making young people power-centric, they should be prepared for responsible leadership.

Subrata Chowdhury, President of Gono Forum, said that the primary objective of politics should be to serve the interests of the people. Young people should be encouraged to move forward without rejecting the past, while the experience of senior generations should also be utilized.

Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary, General Secretary of Jatiya Party (JaPa), said that the inadequate representation of young people in Parliament is a political failure. They should be given opportunities to work alongside experienced politicians. Although women are represented in local government, effective authority and adequate resource allocation must also be ensured.

Dr. Sakhawat Hossain Sayantha, General Secretary of G-9, said that the risks associated with student politics and the influence of money and muscle power have pushed many talented young people away from politics. To increase the participation of women and youth, their representation must be ensured at different levels of political parties.

Parvez Karim Abbasi, CGS Executive Director, said that despite Bangladesh having been governed by women for a long period, adequate representation of women in national politics has not been ensured.

“Countries such as Rwanda have empowered women as part of national reconstruction, but Bangladesh has yet to achieve similar progress or provide the expected employment opportunities for young people,” he said.

Abdullah Al Kafee Ratan, General Secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said that diversity and the rights of ethnic minorities must be recognized, while the participation of women and young people in political leadership should be increased.

He emphasized providing women with opportunities for direct election to Parliament and considering age limits for political positions. Sustainable political change is not possible by excluding young people.

Raisa Rifat Juin, Central Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Literature and Cultural Department of Bangladesh Islami Chatri Sangstha, said that young people are often undervalued because of their age, while women still lack an effective pathway to rise from the grassroots into politics. Inclusion, she said, should not be limited to numbers but must be meaningful.

Tilottoma Eite, Social Welfare & Environment Secretary of Bangladesh Students' Union, said that reluctance to politically empower women results in inadequate nominations and limited importance being given to their role in decision-making. Marginalized women in particular remain excluded, while representatives in reserved seats are often unable to work effectively.